Efficient air conditioning in conjunction with pool filtration

ABSTRACT

An A/C system for a building used in conjunction with a pool comprises a pool pump used to filter and circulate the pool water that is coupled to an A/C refrigerant compressor unit. The A/C compressor supplies refrigerant to an evaporator coil inside of a building that is used in in conjunction with other standard A/C components located inside the building to cool the building. The pool pump is mechanically coupled to the compressor so that the pool pump motor drives both the pool pump and the compressor when the compressor is being used to move refrigerant. The compressor is connected to a water-cooled condenser coil inside of a water tank that receives water circulated from the pool pump to cool gaseous refrigerant returned from the building.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of provisional Application 63/073,535, filed Sep. 2, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the present invention relates to an air conditioning (A/C) cooling system that is interconnected with a pool (such as a swimming pool or pond). In particular, the field of the present invention relates to systems and methods for more efficiently filtering pool water and air conditioning a building (or other structure) at the same time. The pool pump and filtration system is modified to serve multiple purposes, including for example filtering the pool water, driving an A/C refrigerant compressor, and circulating water for cooling the A/C refrigerant condenser coil in a water tank.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,212,835 (which is hereby incorporate by reference in its entirety herein) purports to describe a system and method that uses a pool pump to divert water from a pool to a “tube-inside-tube water coil condenser” of a water source heat pump. Water is circulated by the pump through the inside tube of the condenser coil to cool refrigerant contained in the outside tube of the condenser coil, thereby causing it to return to a liquid so that the liquid refrigerant can be used with the indoor evaporator coil of the A/C system inside of a building. The liquid refrigerant is circulated through the condenser and to the building with a standard compressor that is driven by a standard compressor pump motor.

The embodiments described herein contain many improvements over that prior art system including (as non-limiting examples) (1) using the pool pump that that is part of the pool filtration system to also drive the refrigerant compressor, (2) placing the condenser coil within a water tank, wherein the pool water is pumped into the tank to cool the coil and flows out of the tank back into the pool.

SUMMARY

An A/C system for a building used in conjunction with a pool comprises a pool pump used to filter and circulate the pool water that is coupled to an A/C refrigerant compressor unit. The A/C compressor supplies refrigerant (for example, Puron, Freon or other known refrigerants) to an evaporator coil inside of a building that is used in in conjunction with other standard A/C components located inside the building to cool the building. The pool pump is mechanically coupled to a compressor, through a spline, a sleeve, or other mechanism, so that the pool pump motor drives both the pool pump and the compressor when the compressor is turned on to move refrigerant.

Several types of compressors are suitable for the applications described herein. With a variable displacement compressor, when the building needs to be cooled (and refrigerant supplied), the displacement valve of the compressor is supplied a voltage typically between 0-12 volts to increase the stroke of the compressor pistons thus moving the refrigerant through the system. The voltage can be increased gradually if necessary. With a variable displacement compressor, the pool pump can be directly connected to the compressor without the use of an electromagnetic clutch. When the control valve of the compressor is not energized, the drive of the compressor turns, but it is not working to move any refrigerant. The amount of energy supplied to the control valve depends on the cooling requirements of the A/C system and is adjustable.

In the alternative, if the compressor is not a variable displacement compressor, an electromagnetic clutch of the compressor can simply be engaged when the building needs to be cooled and disengaged when it does not.

When turned on, the compressor supplies the refrigerant through tubing to an evaporator coil inside of the building. This action causes the liquid refrigerant to “evaporate” and become cold. The evaporating refrigerant within the tubes and fins of the evaporator coil cools air being circulated over the outside of the tube and fins by an indoor fan. In order to remove the refrigerant from the building, the refrigerant must be raised to a higher pressure by the compressor. The compressing causes the refrigerant to heat up to a gas (for example, the temperature differential between the supplied liquid refrigerant and returned refrigerant gas can be hundreds of degrees). As the pressure necessary to move the refrigerant increases, so does the temperature of the refrigerant.

The compressor unit is thus connected to a condenser coil for cooling the heated refrigerant that is pulled back out of the building by the compressor. In a typical A/C system, the condenser coil is located in a condenser unit outside of the building and air cooled by a fan inside of the condenser unit. In such a system the fan is driven by its own motor.

Another aspect described herein replaces this standard condenser unit with a water-cooled condenser coil inside of a water tank. Pressurized coolant is fed through a condenser coil inside of a water tank, and that water tank receives water from the pool pump. The water in contact with the condenser coil cools the gaseous refrigerant returned from the building and causes it to return to its cool, liquid form so that it can be fed back through the loop (by the compressor) to the evaporator coil. As water is fed into the water tank, water exits through a return line near the top of the water tank that returns the water through a filter for filtering particulate and back to the pool.

The filter can be inside the water tank that acts as a condenser, or the filter can be outside of that water tank in a separate tank.

Objects and advantages pertaining to the pool water filtration and A/C system may become apparent upon referring to the example embodiments illustrated in the drawings and disclosed in the following written description or appended claims.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Aspects and applications of the invention presented here are described below in the drawings and detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the figures, like reference numbers refer to like elements or acts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 depicts an example of an A/C cooling system that is interconnected with a pool filtration system.

FIG. 2 depicts the same system as FIG. 1, but with the barrel and lid of the water tank not shown.

FIG. 3 depicts the same system as FIG. 1, but with the barrel and lid of the water tank not shown.

FIG. 4 depicts the same system as FIG. 1 with a container for the pool pump and compressor including a display with a keypad.

FIG. 5 depicts an isometric view of a drive shaft coupler.

FIG. 6 depicts a side view of the drive shaft coupler shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 depicts a side view of the drive shaft coupler shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 depicts a top view of the drive shaft coupler shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 depicts a bottom view of the drive shaft coupler shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 depicts the connection point a compressor for the drive shaft coupler shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 depicts the pool pump connected to the compressor via the drive shaft coupler.

FIG. 12 depicts the pool pump connected to the compressor via the drive shaft coupler.

FIG. 13 depicts the pool pump connected to the compressor via the drive shaft coupler.

Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.

Embodiments depicted are shown only schematically, and not all features may be shown in full detail or in proper proportion. Certain features or structures may be exaggerated relative to others for clarity. The embodiments shown are examples only, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SELECTED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. The full scope of the inventions is not limited to the examples that are described below.

FIG. 1 depicts an example of an A/C cooling system that is interconnected with a pool filtration system. The intake piping 1 is connected to an intake filter 33 that connects through additional piping to the inlet of the pool pump 32. The piping is made of PVC, copper and brass tubing, or other suitable piping for use with a pool pump. The pool pump 32 sucks pool water from a pool (not shown) through the intake piping 1 and intake filter 33. The intake filter 33 prevents leaves and other large particles from clogging the pool pump.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the motor of the pool pump 32 is connected though a spline adapter 27 to the refrigerant compressor 9. The refrigerant compressor 9 supplies refrigerant through lines (not shown) to an evaporator coil inside of a building that is used in in conjunction with other standard A/C components located inside the building to cool the building. The spline adapter 27 is a welded or extruded shaft that directly couples the motor of pool pump 32 to the compressor 9.

In a typical A/C system, the refrigerant compressor is driven by its own motor that is turned on when the air/conditioning system turns on to supply cool. The spline adapter 27 connection between the pool pump 32 and refrigerant compressor 9 eliminates the need for that compressor motor, because the motor of the pool pump 32 is used to drive the refrigerant compressor 9 (at the same time that it drives the pool pump 32). As an alternative to the spline, the pool pump motor can instead be mechanically coupled to an electromagnetic clutch of the compressor using a sleeve or other mechanism.

The pool pump 32 sends water through the output lines 34 to the water tank 35. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the water tank 35 comprises a base 15, a barrel 16, and a lid 17. The lid 17 is tightly shut during operations.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the same system as FIG. 1, but with the barrel 16 and lid 17 of the water tank 35 not shown. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a water-cooled condenser coil 13 is located inside of the water tank. When the compressor 9 is running, the hot, pressurized gaseous coolant from the return lines of the building are fed through refrigerant line 12 to the coil 13. The water inside of the water tank 35 (which is pool water at a temperature of typically 60 to 90 degrees) is much cooler than the pressurized refrigerant and cools the refrigerant in the coil 13. As the refrigerant is sucked through the coil 13, it is cooled and returned to a liquid form so that it can be fed back through the loop by the compressor to the evaporator coil inside the building.

As the pool pump 32 feeds pool water into the water tank 35, pool water also exits through a return line 31 near the top of the water tank 35. This returns the pool water through a filter and back to the pool. In this way, the pool pump 32 constantly refreshes the water in the water tank 35 while the pool pump 32 is running.

The condenser coil 13 tubing is typically made from stainless steel, copper, aluminum, or other conductive tubing suitable for holding pressurized, hot refrigerant and transferring heat from the refrigerant to the pool water in the water tank 35. Stainless steel is particularly useful because it will not corrode from the pool water, which typically includes chlorine and other chemicals for treating the pool water. Typically, the refrigerant lines to and from the building and connected to the compressor pump are copper. A threaded NPT connector on the outside of the tank 35 can intertie these copper lines to the stainless steel lines of the coil 13.

FIGS. 2 and 3 also show a pool filter 10 located inside of the tank 35. The filter 10 filters out particulate in the pool water before it is returned to the pool. The filter 10 typically filters out much finer grains of particulate than the intake filter 33 to keep the pool water fresh and clean and free from algae, dirt, and other unwanted contaminants.

In some embodiments, the filter 33 is located outside of the water tank 35 in a separate tank made solely for filtering out particulate. For example, if the system is being added to an existing pool that already has a filter 33 and separate filtering tank, it may be advantageous to use that existing filtration system and not move the filter 33 into the water tank 35. For a pool that is being newly constructed, an installer might use the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1-3 instead, with the filter inside of the water tank 35.

As heat is transferred from the refrigerant in the coil 13 to the pool water, the temperature of the pool water will increase, thereby increasing the temperature of the water returned to the pool. This warms the pool water (i.e., provides a “heated pool” effect) without the use of a standard pool heater that consumes additional power.

However, the bottom and/or the sides of the pool are typically in contact with ground that is cooler than the pool water (thereby transferring some heat out of the pool), which prevents the pool water from getting too hot.

The refrigerant compressor 9 shown in FIGS. 1-3 is a variable displacement compressor. With a variable displacement compressor, when the building needs to be cooled (and refrigerant supplied), the displacement valve of the compressor is supplied a voltage typically between 0-12 volts to increase the stroke of the compressor pistons thus moving the refrigerant through the system

The voltage can be increased gradually, or the full voltage can be applied each time the compressor needs to be engaged. The compressor shown in FIGS. 1-3 is a Sanden PXE16 variable displacement compressor. The performance curve for the PXE16 is provided herewith and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

In some embodiments, a variable displacement compressor is not used. For example, as alternative, an electromagnetic clutch of the compressor can simply be engaged (to cause the pool motor to drive the compressor) when the building needs to be cooled and disengaged when the building does not.

In a typical residential system with a standard condensing unit and compressor, each time the A/C system needs to cool the air in the building, an electronic signal is sent to turn on the condensing unit. This causes two motors in the condensing unit to fully engage at about the same time—a first motor to drive the compressor so that it moves refrigerant through the evaporator coil and back out of the building, and a second motor to drive the fan of the condensing unit to cool the coil inside of it, which contains the hot, pressurized refrigerant from the return lines of the building. Each time the system turns on, both of the motors have an initial voltage spike that is typical when motors first begin running. After a few seconds, the initial voltage spike subsides, and the motors each continue to draw a more constant voltage until the air is sufficiently cooled to meet the temperature of the thermostat in the building. At that time, the condenser unit (and both motors) shut off.

During the course of the day, the A/C system will engage and disengage the condenser many times to cool the air, and each time it engages, energy is consumed as described above.

The system shown in FIGS. 1-3 reduces that energy consumption in several ways. By using the water tank 35 and coil 13 instead of a standard condenser unit, the motor that runs the fan of a typical air cooled condenser unit is completely eliminated. The pool pump 32, which must operate to circulate and filter the pool water anyway, is moving the pool water through the water tank 35.

Also, by using the pool pump 32 motor to drive the compressor 9, the motor that is typically used to drive the compressor is eliminated. At times when the compressor is not being used (because the A/C system is not running), any additional drag caused on the pool pump 32 motor by the spline or other mechanical coupler that is connected to the pool pump 32 motor is negligible.

Furthermore, while engaging the clutch of the compressor 9 to run the compressor does cause a minor initial spike in power consumption for the pool pump 32 (because of the increased torque on the pool pump motor) and increased power consumption after the initial spike while the compressor is running, that initial spike is much lower than the spike that occurs when a typical condensor with two motors is first turned on. The pool pump motor driving the pool pump 32 and the compressor 9 at the same time is also more mechanically efficient and consumes less power than a system in which the pool pump motor drives the pool pump and a separate motor drives the compressor.

The voltage draw of the variable displacement compressor 9 can also be adjusted to reduce the initial energy consumption spike from engaging the compressor 9. For example, if the voltage is gradually increased over time from 0-12 volts when the compressor needs to be turned on, the corresponding torque absorbed by the pool pump when the compressor turns on will also be increased gradually over time rather than being absorbed all at once.

FIGS. 1-3 also show a pump mounting tray 18 that for mounting and aligning the pool pump 32 and the compressor 9.

In some embodiments, the pool pump 32, compressor 9, and associated components are housed within a container 36. FIG. 4 depicts such a container 36 including a display 37 with a keypad. The display 37 is connected to a computerized control system for controlling various settings of the pool pump and the compressor. For example, the display 37 is connected in some embodiments to an rs45 interface for controlling the system components. In some embodiments, the display 37 is a touchscreen display. In some embodiments, the control system is connected to sensors on the pool pump, compressor, and water tank, so that operating conditions such as temperature, pressure, voltage, etc. are shown on the display and/or stored on a non-volatile memory. In some embodiments, the computer of the control system has a wireless interface (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, or other known wireless interface) for connecting the system to a remote computer system, such as laptop, home computer, tablet, cellular phone, or other mobile device or home automation controller. An application on the remote computer system is used to communicate with the computer control system. For example, the pump can be turned on and off remotely (for example, as the owner of the building is returning home), the displacement of the variable displacement compressor can be adjusted if the building is not cooling fast enough, and sensor data can be relayed from the computer control system to the application on the remote computer system.

FIGS. 5 through 9 depict an alternative to the spline for mechanically coupling the compressor 9 to the pool pump 32 that uses drive shaft coupler 38. Drive shaft coupler 38 includes a hole 39 that receives the rod of the pool pump 32 motor. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the small side of the drive shaft coupler 38 also has a through hole 40. To connect the drive shaft couple to the pool motor rod, a bolt 41 is placed through the hole 40 and a hole on the pool motor rod and secured by a nut 42, as shown in FIG. 11.

FIGS. 6, 7, and 9 show that the drive shaft coupler 38 has a series of threaded holes 43 that are used to attach the drive shaft coupler 38 to the compressor 9. FIG. 10 shows corresponding threaded holes 44 on the compressor 9. The holes 43 and holes 44 are spaced all around the drive shaft coupler 28 (as shown in FIG. 9) and compressor 9. Also, the exact number of holes is a design choice—the important point is that there must be a sufficient number to secure the drive shaft coupler 38 to the compressor 9. In the example shown in FIGS. 11-13, set screws are used to secure the coupler 38 to the compressor 9. Other known screws or fasteners can be used instead of set screws.

In some embodiments, the drive shaft coupler 38 can be welded to the pool pump and the compressor, or glued, or fastened in other known ways.

The drive shaft coupler 38 shown in FIGS. 5-13 is made from aluminum, which is lighter than steel and less expensive. However, the drive shaft coupler 38 can be made from stainless steel, steel, or other suitable metals.

The compressor shown in FIGS. 10-13 is a Spectra Premium A/C compressor, Model Number 0610225 with a magnetic clutch. The Spectra Premium “Automotive A/C Tech Tip Guide” (Copyright 2007) is provided herewith and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. With the drive shaft coupler 38 secured in place, when the magnetic clutch of the compressor 9 is turned on and engaged, the pool pump 32 drives the compressor 9 to move refrigerant. When the magnetic clutch is turned off, the pool pump 32 can continue running while the compressor 9 is not.

The pool pump model shown in the Figures is a PENTAIR Intelliflow VSF Variable Speed and Flow pump, P/N 011056. The 2020 User Manual of the PENTAIR Intelliflow VSF Variable Speed and Flow pump is provided herewith and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Many other pool pumps are suitable for the applications described herein.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features can be grouped together in several example embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any embodiment requires more features than are expressly recited in the corresponding claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed example embodiment. Thus, the present disclosure shall also be construed as implicitly disclosing any embodiment having any suitable set of one or more disclosed or claimed features (i.e., a set of features that are neither incompatible nor mutually exclusive) that appear in the present disclosure, including those sets that may not be explicitly disclosed herein.

The scope of the originally filed claims does not necessarily encompass the whole of the subject matter disclosed herein. The originally filed claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate disclosed embodiment. The scope of subject matter encompassed by each claim shall be determined by the recitation of only that claim.

The conjunction “or” is to be construed inclusively (e.g., “a dog or a cat” would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or both”; e.g., “a dog, a cat, or a mouse” would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or any two, or all three”), unless: (i) it is explicitly stated otherwise, e.g., by use of “either... or,” “only one of,” or similar language; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive within the particular context, in which case “or” would encompass only those combinations involving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives. The words “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and variants thereof, wherever they appear, shall be construed as open ended terminology, with the same meaning as if the phrase “at least” were appended after each instance thereof.

If any one or more disclosures are incorporated herein by reference and such incorporated disclosures conflict in part or whole with, or differ in scope from, the present disclosure, then to the extent of conflict, broader disclosure, or broader definition of terms, the present disclosure controls. If such incorporated disclosures conflict in part or whole with one another, then to the extent of conflict, the later-dated disclosure controls.

The Abstract is provided as required as an aid to those searching for specific subject matter within the patent literature. However, the Abstract is not intended to imply that any elements, features, or limitations recited therein are necessary.

The use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description or Description of the Drawings or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6, to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6 are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for, and will also recite the word “function” (i.e., will state “means for performing the function of [insert function]”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material or act in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for performing the function of . . . ” or “step for performing the function of . . . ,” if the claims also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means or step, or that perform the recited function, then it is the clear intention of the inventors not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶ 6. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a. a pool pump configured to circulate water in a pool; b. a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant to an air conditioner; and c. a mechanical coupling between the pool pump and the compressor that enables a motor of the pool pump to drive the compressor.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic clutch configured to engage when the compressor turns on and disengage when the compressor turns off, wherein the motor of the pool pump is configured to drive the compressor when the electromagnetic clutch is engaged.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the compressor is directly coupled to the motor of the pool pump and includes a displacement valve that is configured to cause the compressor to circulate the refrigerant when the displacement valve is powered.
 4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a gas condenser coil containing the refrigerant, the gas condenser coil coupled to the compressor and configured to cool the refrigerant circulated by the compressor, wherein the condenser coil is configured to be cooled with water ejected from the pool pump.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the gas condenser coil is located within a water tank.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the water tank also contains a filter used to filter particulate from the pool.
 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a return pipeline from the water tank to the pool.
 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer control system configured to control the pool pump and the compressor.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer control system includes a wireless interface configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote controller.
 10. A system, comprising: a. a pool pump configured to circulate water in a pool; b. a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant to an air conditioner; and c. a gas condenser coil coupled to the compressor and configured to cool the refrigerant circulated by the compressor, wherein the condenser coil is configured to be cooled with water ejected from the pool pump.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the gas condenser coil is located within a water tank.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the water tank also contains a filter used to filter particulate from the pool.
 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a return pipeline from the water tank to the pool.
 14. A method, comprising: a. circulating water in a pool with a pool pump driven by a motor; b. driving a refrigerant compressor with the motor of the pool pump to circulate a refrigerant to an air conditioner.
 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising ejecting water from the pool pump to a water tank containing a gas condenser coil coupled to the refrigerant compressor and containing the refrigerant. 